Improvement in middlings-purifiers



2Sheets--Sheet1. R. L. DUWNTUN.

I Middlings-Purifier. No. 162,158.. PatentedApril20,l875.

ATTEST:

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTOL TH.39 &4-1 PARK PLACE.N.Y.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

L. DUWNTUN.

R. Middlings-Purifier.

Patented April 20, 1875.

FIG. 3.

INVEINTOR:

ATTEST:

WW M MW THE GRAPH; C0.PMOTOLITH.39&41 PARK PLAOE,N-Y-

ROBERT L. DOW'NTON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT l N MIDDLINGS-PURIFIERS,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,155, dated April20, 1875; application filed.

March 24,1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. DOWNTON, of St. Louis, St. Louis county,State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inllIiddlings-Purifiers, of which the following is a specification:

This invention is an improvement on the middlings-purifiers for whichLetters Patent were granted to me 7th October, 1873, (No. 143,442,) andto myself and W. H. Forman 24th February, 1874, (No. 147,749.)

The first part of my improvement consists in combining each separatetier of purifyingchambers or air-legs With the different parts of agraded reel, so that each compartment or part of the reel-chestdischarges into a separate set of purifiers, and so that the separationmade by the graded reel may be preserved as to the purified products ofthe purifiers, and also as to the lighter portions or specks, which areabstracted from the heavier portion by the suction-currents, and whichmay be carried to more or less separate dust-rooms.

The second part of my improvement consists in a perforated partitionwhich is placed across or partly across each purifying-chamber, toequalize the ascending current of air throughout the chamber bydestroying the tendency to the formation of a narrow or thin currentfrom the air-induction opening or openings to the eduction-opening.

The third part of myimprovement consists in a settling-chamber, incombination with the fan and air-pipe communicating with the series ofseparators forming the air-leg, and extending to the dust-room, the saidsettlingchamber detaining the heavier matters held in suspension in theair. The settling-chamber has a return pipe or spout leading to thetierof separators or air-leg, to allow of such deposit to be passedthrough the separators to be worked over, if desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, andhaving one side of the chest partly broken out to exhibit a reel havingthree or more grades of cloth thereon and three tiers of separators orairlegs. Fig. 2 is a section of same. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is avertical section, showing a sieve receiving the purified middlings fromthe air-leg. Fig. 5' is a section of the equalizing-partition. I

Ais the graded reel in its chest B, which latter in the drawing (Fig. 1)is partly broken away to show partot said reel. The middlings enter thereel or bolt through a spout, G. The reel is clothed with suitablenumbers or grades of bolting-cloth. My usual practice is to use for thispurpose Nos. 9, S, 7, 6, 5, and 2 cloth in succession, from the head ofthe reel or bolt down 5 but as thereis some variation between themiddlings of different mills, I clothe the reel to suit such variations,and to suit the Work of the mill. In the form of bolt-chest shown in thedrawing, the bottom of said chest is divided into a series of hoppers, DD D each of which may receive the middlings passing through a differentgrade of cloth, or from two or more of such grades, so that the variousgrades of middlings will pass into the various hoppers, and from saidhoppers into the separate airlegs' or separators E E E respectively. Insome instances a conveyer or screw is placed underneath the reel tocarry each grade of middlings to each separate machine, said machineconsisting of a single separating boX,l, or a vertical tier of boxes orairleg E or E, the machines being placed at suitable points to receiveeach grade.

The purified middlings from all or any number of the air-legs ormachines may be discharged into the same conveyer F, as shown, or thegrades may be kept separated to a greater or less extent.

Each separating-box I of the vertical tier or air-leg has an inclinedboard or metallic or other plate or spout, Gr, down which the middlingsslip, and is shed upon another inclined spreading board or plate, H,from whose lower edge it is thrown or shed in a cloud into the chamberI, to be acted on by the air ascending through this chamber. The airenters the chamber I through openings J and K at the lower part of thechamber. These openings are provided respectively with valve-slides Jand K, by which their size may be regulated. The air entering throughthe openings J and K, after passing upward through the cloud ofmiddlings in the chamber 1, escapes through the openings L into the pipeM. The openings L are regulated in size by valve-slides L, so as toadjust the force of the air current as required. The pipe M is connectedto the suction-orifice of a fan, N, and the dischargeorifice of the fancommunicates with the dustroom 0, where the lighter portions, or what isknown as specks, carriedfrom the chambers I by the air-current, aredeposited, the air escaping through the sides and top of the room 0.

In each of the air-pipes M, between the airlegs and dust-rooms, is asettling-chamber, P,

I to collect any heavy particles of pure middlings that may be suspendedin the air-current. The settling-chamber is practically an enlargementof the pipe M, and consequently the air passes through it at a slowerspeed than through the more contracted parts of the pipe, and so asubsidence of the heavier matter takes place in the settling-chamber.This settling-chamber is preferably connected by a pipe, Q, with theair-leg, so that the matter collecting in said chamber is returned to,and worked over again by, the separators. The pipe M has a valve-slide,R, to limit the size of the pipe at that point, and thus to regulate theforce of the air-current.

I have found that the air-current passing through the chamber 1 is aptto become contracted or concentrated into a thin stream or streams,taking the shortest course from the induction opening or openings J K tothe eduction-opening L, thus acting unequally upon the middlings in thedifferent parts of the chamber, and consequently, in the course of thecurrent, the heavy and more valuable portions are liable to be carriedaway, while out of the course of the current the purification would beimperfect from an insufficient aircurrent, the light and objectionablematters descending into the next chamber. To over-' come this tendencyofthe air to pass through the chamber I in a thin current orcurrents, Iplace across the course of the current a perforated partition or otherobstruction, S, preferably having the perforations larger or morenumerous within a given area, in proportion to their distance from saidline or lines of air current or currents. This partition causes adivergence of the currents of air, so that it is equalized throughoutthe chamber 1. The partition S may be in form of a flat board or plateof metal or other material, either horizontal or inclined, and havingorifices s, of any form; or said partition may be simply an imperforatedeflector placed across the course of the current, and leaving a passageor passages for the air-current between the deflector and the sides ofthe chamber 1. But my preferred mode of construction is to make thepartition of a plate of corrugated metal, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5,with narrow orifices or slots at the lower angles of the corrugations.With a partition of this character no lodgment of the material wouldtake place, (so as to endanger the stoppage of the orifices,) because itwould, on accumulation, slide from the inclined surfaces and fallthrough the orifices before it had accumulated in sufficient quantity tostop them.

G is a slide to regulate the size of the spout leading from one chamber1 to another, and of which spent the board or plate Gr forms the bottom.The purpose of regulating the size of this spout is to allow freepassage to the descending middlings, but yet little or no space for acurrent of air from one chamber to another.

Each of the pipes M may connect with a separate fan and dust-room, orany two or more of said pipes and chambers may be connected with thesame fan, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modification in which a sieve, T, is placed beneaththe dischargemouth of the air-leg or separator.

The operation of the apparatus has been described, and it only remainsto be said that by the slides R the force of the upward aircurrentthrough each of the air-legs E E E is regulated without affecting theforce of the air-currents in the others, and, by the valveslides J, K,and L, is regulated within each chamber 1 in relation to the currentsthrough the other chambers in the same leg or tier. This arrangementallows the air current through each air-leg and chamber to be variedaccording to the character of the middlings passing through it, so as toinsure perfection of operation.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the graded reel or bolt A,clothed with different grades of cloth, and two or more separatingair-legs, each airleg consisting of a series of separating-chambers,having at the bottom an inclined passage for the purpose of conductingthe material away from the currents of air, and introducing the materialat a point above the airinlet in each successive chamber forrepurification.

2. The combination, with the separatingchamber 1, of the perforatedequalizing-partition S, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the fan and airpipe M, leading to the dustroom,and communicating with the series of separating-chambers forming theair-leg, of the settling-chamber P, all constructed and arranged tooperate in the manner substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the graded reel or bolt A and sets ofseparators or air-legs E E each having a series of separating-chambers,of the pipes M, fans N N, and separate dustrooms 0 0, all constructedand arranged to operate substantially in the manner as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the inclinedboard or plate G, of the slide G,to partially close ber, spreading board or plate H, and equalizthepassage or spout between the chambers ing partition or board S, allsubstantially as 1, substantially as and for the purpose set and for thepurpose set forth.

forth. ROBERT L. DOWNTON.

6. The combination with separating-chamber I, of the air-openings J K atopposite sides and in the lower portion of said cham- Witnesses:

SAML. KNIGHT, ROBERT BURNS.

